Everyday Health Heroes

This month Zachary was in a pagent for Seriously ill children. We had a blast! Zachary was a ham like normal... He walked out on stage and said Hi Uncle Paul and then walked down the runway Hi ----- Hi and waved at the Judges and then walked to the end and said Hi Susan.... then looked at the camera and gave a big ROOOOAAAARRRRR..... Everytime they had the microphone he wanted to talk and they would put it up to his mouth and he would say I'm 5 years old.. I'm 5 years old... LOL... He was funny..... Someone who worked for the show came up to me right after I think Zachary said on the microphone... Thank you all for coming... Have a good night... She said is he your son?? I said yes.. She wanted to know his name and said almost definetly that would be the end of the show and he would be on TV... This show airs in December.... Can't wait to see it!!! Zachary made many friends that day.. Of course all Adults and all girls!!! hahahaha.... He is a HAM!

Report from Neuro Doc

We received Zachary's report from the Neuro Psych Doc and he concluded that Zachary is Autistic. Now 2 specialist have concluded this and that he would need 25 hours of Behavioral Therapy in order to be able to function normally when he gets older.. So I took the report to the Regional Center and their team of Doctors (same ones who said he isn't autistic) that he doesn't need an Intensive Behavioral Therapy Program.. So here we are again Regional Center decides and the 2 Specialist don't know what they are saying.. BULL... 2 Specialist know why more than the Regional Center Docs. The Regional Center Docs are still saying Zachary isn't Autistic... HERE WE GO... Time to start the fight all over...

July 22, 2011

Today is the end of extended home studies... It will continue with the normal school year on August 23, 2011 when the school year starts up again. Zachary has 4 weeks off from the Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist and Preschool Teacher 4 times a week. Don't let this fool you, he still has to go to Casa Colin for his Physical Therapy, Feeding and Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy. He was still has for now 2 hours a week of Behavioral Therapy at home. Hopefully, this will soon change to 25 hours a week so Zachary is getting all the help he needs to become fully functional as a high functioning autistic child. Hopefully the next time I notate it will be stating we got the services.. Will wait and see...

Autistic Doctor (Casa Colina) 7-20-2011

We went for our follow up with Dr. Baumann, Pediatric Neurologist Specializing in Autism. She seen the progress Zachary has made with talking and believes Zachary will be able to have a full and normal life provided he gets the help and therapy he needs now. She is requesting 25 hours a week of behavioral therapy. The same that two other neurologists have requested since before he was 3 years old, but everyone (regional and school district) has ignored. She states Zachary is a very smart child who will go far in life. :) If the regional center would have listened before Zachary would be further ahead of where he is now. They think he is a normal child because he is not the typical autistic child. This is what absolutely is sad that kids who are not the typical autistic kid suffers because they don't want to help and pay for the therapy.

Orthopedist 7-19-2011

Finally, we seen the Orthopedist after trying to get an appt since November 2010. We went for Zachary's feet and back. His feet are flexible flat feet and he walks on his arches. We also thought he might have scoliosis. Thank god he does not have scoliosis, but his feet are less fortunate. He will need orthodics coming up next year but for the meantime in the summer we can just use his sandals that have an arch in them. The doctor didn't want to make him wear shoes and socks when it is soo hot.

Zachary ER 7-16-2011

Friday, my family and I went to dinner and Zachary fell asleep at the table. (This is so not Zachary) Zachary is usually talking to anyone and everyone who walks by. I thought it was unusual but figured his cousins were here and he was just pooped. The next morning he woke up and walked to the couch and went back to sleep. This too was unusual but I let him sleep. He woke up a few minutes later with liquid coming from his mouth and nose and wasn't able to breathe. I thought he was going to throw up and was scared because he has never really thrown up out of his mouth. As a baby he always regurgitated out of his nose. So I called the nurses line and they stated to take him to emergency since he was having a hard time breathing.

The ER Doc listened to his lungs and they took temp and all looked good. The only thing that was strange is my son wasn't talking and he was just laying there lethargic. The doc said ,"Everything is good, but you know your son what would you like me to do?" I replied, "This is not my son! My son would be talking and pulling at your pockets and stethascope and talking to anyone and everyone. There is something wrong with my son, so please do all the tests to find out what is." So they did and the found he was dehydrated and his blood sugar level was 50. The normal blood sugar level should be 70 which I just learned. This is not a Digeorge Syndrome problem or Autistic problem, so I am unfamiliar with this and it kinda threw me for a loop. Basically, he is not getting enough calories and liquids. Don't know how this happened since he drinks and eats all the time... So now it is time again to change what I am doing.. No more raviolis or spaghettios unless they are whole what instead of the can stuff. I have to be careful because he can only eat things that are easy to chew due to his feeding issues. Now more gatorade instead of juice.

Took Zachary back to docs on Tuesday the 19th and had his finger stuck and his blood sugar was 86 which is just fine.. I just have to watch him for this now and be aware of it.

Neuro Psychologist 7-15-11

Today was the last appt of 3 that we seen the Neuro Psych. He has concluded that Zachary is Autistic. I will wait and see if he puts with that ADHD or/and ADD... We had spoken about ADHD because Regional Center wants to put Zachary with that only.... and he mention Attention Deficit at one point.. We will see what the reports states when I get that....

July is for Doctors

This month I had originally had planned on being laid off, but my work offered an extension to stay for a little bit longer, so I did... I had planned many doctor appts for this month. We are seeing the Neuro Psych to evaluate what is going on in Zachary's head. So far seems to be Autism... We have seen him twice and have one more appt today...

Orthopedist... Finally, got an appt with the doctor for Zachary's feet. St. Jude Doc stated it is perfectly normal to walk on the inside of his archs... He just has flat flexible feet. hmmm it is getting worse doesn't seem so normal.... But we will get a second opinion 19th...

Autism... 20th we go back and see Dr. Baumann the Autistic Specialist.. She diagnosed Zachary October 2010 with High Functioning Autism. But since Regional Center will not take the Specialist Diagnosis we have to go get another Specialist who does more testing to back up or shoot down The Doc. Soon we will know...

Zachary is doing fantastic other than the repetitive questions and things. The lights, fans and music continue to be a problem along with the smelling everything... These are problems and need to be watched..

Zachary's 5th Annual Bowlathon

Zachary's 5th Annual bowlathon went great this year.. We occupied 22 lanes of the 36 lane bowling alley. We had great raffle items and wonderful help from the donating companies and individuals... Right now it stands at $2,305.00 all together being raised by donatings, matchings and bowlathon.... This is the best year yet and we are still going.... This year was the first year that Zachary did his own thank you speech... Every other year he hasn't been able to speak. This year he did and did a phenomenal job over and over and over again.. lol

April - MAKE A WISH

Make-a-Wish came in April and made Zachary a playroom/therapy room. Zachary can now do school in his own little room. Zachary loves his room and loves to play and do school in it. This was an awesome thing that Make-a-Wish did for Zachary.

MARCH 2011

March was an eventful month... A new Speech Teacher started and come over sick.... An assessment was done by Regional Center... Zachary was in the hospital for RSV and 2 new therapists at Casa Colina.

The Assessment was done by Regional Center and they state Zachary isn't Autistic and they would be looking at ADHD when he turns 6 years old.. Of course they are going to look at that then they don't have to pay for him anymore....

A Specialist in Autism states Zachary is High Functioning Autistic just so happens to be the same Specialist Regional Center uses for their Seminars(This I don't get, they wont take her diagnosis and she specializes in Autism). Regional Center states the lights, fans, vaccuums and the smelling everything is not an issue. hahah what a joke... They assign a behavioral therapist to come and do therapy on Zachary at my home. While I am sitting here on the computer Zachary leaves his playroom/therapy room where he is with the behavioral therapist and runs into the room I am in and grabs the vaccuum and smells the bag. The Behavioral Therapist looks at him and then looks at me in disbelief.. I said Oh don't worry Regional Center said this wasn't an issue... She looked at me HUH? She said this is an issue.. I said I know I was being sarcastic. I told her Regional Center wanted to look at ADHD when I come back in one year and she replied he is not ADHD he is Autistic. While they are assessing Zachary, he is playing with the lights. They finally after an hour of him playing with the lights they finally tape them down, so he can't play with them. How is this not an issue??? Anyone who has been around Zachary would know lights, fans, vaccuums and music is what he is all about. I have people who have met him once and they know this and see this. How is it that a group of Doctors don't see this???

In the next few days, Zachary landed in urgent care and they gave him an antibiotic and sent him home. The next day he got worse. I took him to Emergency Room and on the way my tire blew out on the freeway. (Talk about luck) When I finally got to the ER Zachary was at 103 and usually we get in real quick due to his issues, but this time they had us waiting an hour by then Zachary was 104. I told him they needed to do something because he is at 104 now. They took him in and took care of him.. They did all the usual tests blood, xrays and bulb syringe and came back and said he had RSV... It is an infection that attacks the lungs and this white blood cells and tcells where the lowest they have been in a couple years and needed him to stay overnight for them to monitor him. 24 hours later they let him leave with an appt to get blood drawn in a week to rule out any other issues that could prove to be something far worse with the tcells and white blood cells being so low.. Everything was okay the virus is what brought the #'s down.. It was a little scary...

Zachary started Therapy at Casa Colina. He now attends therapy for Physical Therapy, Speech/Feeding Therapy. These are 2 therapies that could greatly help him.

ENDOCRYNOLOGIST

We are back at the Endrocrynologist but this time for a different reason... Zachary's calcium is fine, but now we are having issues with his Vitamin D. Now is he back on medication for this. So we have added yet another doctor to the appointments that got rid of over a year ago.. Hopefully, we can get a handle on this and doesn't lead to any further problems...

March 10, 2011

It has been a while again since I posted. Zachary has been diagnosed by Casa Colina as High Functioning Autistic. Of course, Regional Center doesn't want to take the report of their own person who does their seminars, they want to waste resources and money and do their own. So we will do it again.

Casa Colina wants Zachary to have Speech Therapy/ Feeding Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. Trying to figure out a schedule where we can do this. Zachary still has therapy from the school district which is also Speech, Occupational, Language and a Preschool Teacher 5 hours of week. So where do I find the time??? Trying to figure that one out.

Regional Center came over the other day to assess Zachary for Behavioral Therapy. Kids that are autistic need this, of course some that are not autistic do too. My old service coordinator who has no degrees and is not a psychologist tried to tell me Zachary does the things he does because he isn't around other kids. This is a crock... She knows nothing... The Behavioral Therapist assessed Zachary and her assessment was that Zachary needs the therapy that an autistic child would need since Regional Center doesn't think he is Autistic.

I will fight this battle again and again until Zachary gets the therapy he needs.. He is basically 3 years old mentally and some physically. Let me tell you he just started talking in July 2010 and WOW his vocabulary is amazing. It took 2 weeks of his teacher pounding him with Speech and then complete sentences came out... It was truly AMAZING!!!!